You Can Let Go Now
How I Wish You Were Here
Numbing the pain for a while will only make it worse when you actually feel it.
-Albus Dumbledore
Zoloft.
Now Sidney had a nice bottle of pills waiting for him every time he woke up. Dr. Cole had prescribed him not a week into therapy for his ‘depression’ and help with the compulsions.
Now I’m a crazy man, Sidney thought. The media would love to write a couple of stories on this. He could just see the articles now, Sidney Crosby: Suicidal?
At the beginning it was hard to open up to his doctor. He didn’t really see himself as having a problem. Apparently it was big enough to be on anti-depressants.
Sidney had admitted he needed help after a breakdown when a segment about drunk driving came on the news the other night.
Max and him were hanging out with Mario’s kids at the house waiting for dinner to be ready when the five o’clock news came on.
“...up next we’ll be talking about the increase in drunk driving accidents this year...”
Sidney’s ears perked and he turned to the TV. No one else noticed what was being said and continued to play monopoly.
He watched as a male’s voice started talking while pictures of accidents filled the screen. “Thirty nine percent of all accidents are from drunk driving in Pennsylvania. Drunk Driving accounts for 578 deaths. Pennsylvania has the fourth highest casualties from drunk driving accidents...”
Sidney stared transfixed at the TV while he watched more and more pictures covered the screen. His own memory was playing with him, flashbacks to his accident filled his head.
“Sid, let’s watch something else,” Max suggested in a careful tone, reaching for the remote.
Sidney shook his head. “No. Keep it on, I’m fine.”
Max gave his friend a doubtful look but shrugged his shoulders and watched along. Even Max was getting disturbed by the statistics and images showing, he couldn’t imagine what was going through his best friend’s head.
“Every single one of the deaths is a tragedy. The city of Pittsburgh was hit hard when Sidney Crosby and his late girlfriend Emily Davis were hit by a drunk driver mid-playoff season. Crosby, who suffered a broken rib, punctured lung, and had to get several stitches, was able to make a full recovery and return to the playoffs.
His girlfriend, Emily, was not so lucky. She didn’t make it to the hospital, dying from loss of blood in the ambulance.”
While the reporter was talking, pictures from his own accident were on the screen. Sid’s eyes widened as he saw himself unconscious on the screen. Emily on a stretcher, blood everywhere. He suddenly couldn’t breathe.
He didn’t even notice he was shaking until Mario came over and turned the TV off. “That’s enough,” he said firmly.
Tears poured down Sidney’s face as he tried unsuccessfully to breathe normally. Oh god, he thought, I’m going to throw up.
“Sidney are you okay?” Alexa asked.
“He’ll be fine, Alexa. Max, why don’t you take the children in the kitchen, I think dinner is ready,” Mario requested seriously.
Max nodded in understanding, and soon it was just Mario and Sidney in the living room. Once Sidney’s breathing evened he shakily said, “This is too much. I need help. I can’t handle this.”
That was that. Two days later, Sidney had his first therapy session.
____________________________________________________________________
“The Penguins first pre-season game is Thursday,” McKenzie said, as if she had no interest in it and it was just a mere thought.
“Yeah, I know,” Elizabeth responded. They were watching TV in their apartment.
“Well...are you going to watch it?” Her friend asked.
“I don’t know. It’s just a pre-season game. Nothing special.” Elizabeth replied, even though she knew she was going to watch it.
“You so totally are!” McKenzie exclaimed.
“So?”
“Liz, you need to get your mind off of Sidney Crosby. You’ve been moping around and pouting about him since that day.”
“I have not!” Elizabeth denied.
McKenzie gave her a pointed look. “Did you forget I follow you on twitter, dumby? All I see is ‘I miss him’ ‘biggest regret ever #tellinghimilovehim’. I’m not stupid, honey.”
Elizabeth’s cheeks reddened. “Okay, maybe I’ve been moping. A little.”
“Exactly. Now let’s go out and find some boys tonight. Jamie is having a party at her house,” McKenzie said.
“Fine. But I’m not bringing any boys home,” Elizabeth warned her seriously.
-Albus Dumbledore
Zoloft.
Now Sidney had a nice bottle of pills waiting for him every time he woke up. Dr. Cole had prescribed him not a week into therapy for his ‘depression’ and help with the compulsions.
Now I’m a crazy man, Sidney thought. The media would love to write a couple of stories on this. He could just see the articles now, Sidney Crosby: Suicidal?
At the beginning it was hard to open up to his doctor. He didn’t really see himself as having a problem. Apparently it was big enough to be on anti-depressants.
Sidney had admitted he needed help after a breakdown when a segment about drunk driving came on the news the other night.
Max and him were hanging out with Mario’s kids at the house waiting for dinner to be ready when the five o’clock news came on.
“...up next we’ll be talking about the increase in drunk driving accidents this year...”
Sidney’s ears perked and he turned to the TV. No one else noticed what was being said and continued to play monopoly.
He watched as a male’s voice started talking while pictures of accidents filled the screen. “Thirty nine percent of all accidents are from drunk driving in Pennsylvania. Drunk Driving accounts for 578 deaths. Pennsylvania has the fourth highest casualties from drunk driving accidents...”
Sidney stared transfixed at the TV while he watched more and more pictures covered the screen. His own memory was playing with him, flashbacks to his accident filled his head.
“Sid, let’s watch something else,” Max suggested in a careful tone, reaching for the remote.
Sidney shook his head. “No. Keep it on, I’m fine.”
Max gave his friend a doubtful look but shrugged his shoulders and watched along. Even Max was getting disturbed by the statistics and images showing, he couldn’t imagine what was going through his best friend’s head.
“Every single one of the deaths is a tragedy. The city of Pittsburgh was hit hard when Sidney Crosby and his late girlfriend Emily Davis were hit by a drunk driver mid-playoff season. Crosby, who suffered a broken rib, punctured lung, and had to get several stitches, was able to make a full recovery and return to the playoffs.
His girlfriend, Emily, was not so lucky. She didn’t make it to the hospital, dying from loss of blood in the ambulance.”
While the reporter was talking, pictures from his own accident were on the screen. Sid’s eyes widened as he saw himself unconscious on the screen. Emily on a stretcher, blood everywhere. He suddenly couldn’t breathe.
He didn’t even notice he was shaking until Mario came over and turned the TV off. “That’s enough,” he said firmly.
Tears poured down Sidney’s face as he tried unsuccessfully to breathe normally. Oh god, he thought, I’m going to throw up.
“Sidney are you okay?” Alexa asked.
“He’ll be fine, Alexa. Max, why don’t you take the children in the kitchen, I think dinner is ready,” Mario requested seriously.
Max nodded in understanding, and soon it was just Mario and Sidney in the living room. Once Sidney’s breathing evened he shakily said, “This is too much. I need help. I can’t handle this.”
That was that. Two days later, Sidney had his first therapy session.
____________________________________________________________________
“The Penguins first pre-season game is Thursday,” McKenzie said, as if she had no interest in it and it was just a mere thought.
“Yeah, I know,” Elizabeth responded. They were watching TV in their apartment.
“Well...are you going to watch it?” Her friend asked.
“I don’t know. It’s just a pre-season game. Nothing special.” Elizabeth replied, even though she knew she was going to watch it.
“You so totally are!” McKenzie exclaimed.
“So?”
“Liz, you need to get your mind off of Sidney Crosby. You’ve been moping around and pouting about him since that day.”
“I have not!” Elizabeth denied.
McKenzie gave her a pointed look. “Did you forget I follow you on twitter, dumby? All I see is ‘I miss him’ ‘biggest regret ever #tellinghimilovehim’. I’m not stupid, honey.”
Elizabeth’s cheeks reddened. “Okay, maybe I’ve been moping. A little.”
“Exactly. Now let’s go out and find some boys tonight. Jamie is having a party at her house,” McKenzie said.
“Fine. But I’m not bringing any boys home,” Elizabeth warned her seriously.